Sunday, 2 May 2010

There was a sense of excitement this morning as we left Windhoek. We were starting the eight and last section of this gigantic adventure across Africa. At the end of this section.... Cape Town..... But before we get to see Table mountain, we need to sweat a bit more... And sweating we did today.... Namibia reminded us that we are now back in dryer and warmer territory, but what a difference from Botswana! We got on dirt just a few kilometers after leaving the capital and started climbing right away on a curvy sandy road surrounded by dry bushes and beautiful mountains in the background. We climbed to a 2050 m pass before riding rolling hills and long straight stretches of dirt road filled with gravel and patches of soft sand.

Dirt roads in Namibia are in a much better shape than anywhere we have been previously on this trip. Here they maintain the gravel roads and grade them regularly, so they are actually relatively easy compared to the one we experienced in Southern Sudan or Northern, Kenya and Tanzania.
The difficulties today did not come from the road but from my bike... I changed my chain in a hurry on arrival in Windhoek and did not notice that I put a chain for an 8 speed bike. My cassette has 9 speed which means that the size of the chain is a tiny bit narrower than on a 8 speed bike. As we left Windhoek, I noticed that my gears did not shift properly. A few kilometers further, they started to shift by themselves and eventually, I could only use one gear at the back. This meant that my only way to tackle the climbs today was to use the front derailleur and to stand up when it got too steep.... This is OK for a few kilometers, but we had 115 km to go and plenty of climbs including a serious pass.
Eventually, about 10 km after lunch my chain broke. I carry quick links for such incidents, but unfortunately they were too narrow for this chain, so we had to go for plan B. Eric helped me to fix the chain by using the chain itself. For this, you have to brake another link and force the pin back into position once you join the two parts of a now shorter chain. After two unsuccessful attempts we managed to fix it and I could ride to the finish.
This did not fix my gear shifting problems though and all I could do was to stand on my legs and push harder when climbing. As problems usually come in series, Jos had a flat and a strong headwind picked up during the last 30 km of the stage. All these delays resulted in us cycling through the hottest part of the day and we were a bunch of unhappy cyclists when we finally reached the camp site.
Luckily, the campsite was really nice combined with a lodge, it was well stocked with cold beers and we even had rooms booked by Tony who was sick today and got here early using the dinner truck.
Having a room instead of putting up your tent makes such a difference, especially after a long day like this. You can get straight to the shower and relax on the bed just minutes after finishing your cycling day, rather than having to get to the truck, pick up your camping gears, walk with you tents and other necessary equipment to a remote corner of the camp and having to clear the ground, look for shade, avoid the ants and so on.... Instead within minutes, you are fresh, clean and can enjoy a cold beer. So you can imagine that there is a big rush at each TDA camp site to get to book rooms where there are some available. Each rider is trying to use a faster rider connection to book a room for him or her, so your best bet is either to find out where we are going next and book by phone in advance or to ask somebody on the truck to book a room for you. But as we progress further in this tour, more and more riders know the tricks so it is really getting harder and harder to get rooms anywhere we go. By now, everybody is so fed up with camping that the room competition is almost harder than the riding itself...

Eric managed to fix my broken chain after a few attemps.
I managed to reach camp with this fix and put a new chain on.
This time I made sure I had the right size...

Lunch in a beautiful setting, it felt like a Sunday picnic...

Road signs.... We are definitely back in civilsation
The lunch truck waiting for hungry cyclists

Beautiful Namibia

Katja

Aren

Namibia has 2 habitants per square kilometer,
so here is what it means in real life....

Endless empty fields with beautiful mountains in
the background, that is Namibia...

I had to take two photos as the riders were already too far appart.
Two more of the 12 posing at the 10 000 km with me: Simon and Frans

We enjoyed beeing back on dirt with some windy roads
after riding 2 weeks in straight and flat Botswana

12 TDA participants have managed to ride Every Inch since Cairo to this point where we pass 10 000 km.... Here are 7 of them, from left to right Sunhil, Hardy, me, Rod, Stuart, Juliana and Dan. The 3 missing for the photo are Gizi Jason and Jethro who are also EFI. Frans ans Simon came a bit later and we did a separate photo

COMMENTS AND MESSAGES FOR GERALD

If you find difficult to send a comment to Gerald. Here is the easier way to do it: at the end of each posting you can find the word COMMENT just click on that and write you message and sign your name in the message and then send it as anonymous.

ROUTE MAP

The Tour D' Afrique Race

From Cairo to Cape Town....12 000 km, 10 countries, 96 days of cycling averaging 130 km each. 22 resting days. A total of 120 days to cross the continent and race with 40 over competitors.

This adventure race will challenge my body and mind like no other, crossing some of the most exotic places on earth, pedaling pass places like Kilimanjaro, Victoria falls, lake Malawi...

This race will also be about meeting people, sharing their lifes, their food, their culture.

Become a follower and you will receive regular updates and photos of this incredible adventure!

TRANSLATOR

ME

My name is Gerald Coniel, I am 45 y.o and I must be crazy!... But why be normal?...

HELP ME DONATE BIKES!

Each year the Tour D'Afrique organisation donates bicycles to health care associations in the countries we cross. One bike can deliver medicines up to 100 people a day. Last year 320 bikes were distributed... In 2010, we have donation ceremonies planned for Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Arusha, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Windhoek and Cape Town.

I will be handing over the bikes myself. You will see on this blog when, where, and to whom the bikes went.Join me in raising money for purchasing as many bikes as possible.www.tourdafrique.com/foundation

To participate, mail me at gconiel@andorra.ad100 euro buys one bike, it is the most efficient way to help I have ever heard. Get together with a few friends and offer one bike, make me proud! Imagine what an impact you can make with 100 euro!

MASAI STEPPE

MAP OF TANZANIA

MASAI STEPPE

SectionsFull Tour
Cairo to Cape TownPharaoh's Delight
Cairo to KhartoumThe Gorge
Khartoum to Addis AbabaMeltdown Madness
Addis Ababa to NairobiMasai Steppe
Nairobi to IringaMalawi Gin
Iringa to LilongweZambezi Zone
Lilongwe to Victoria FallsElephant Highway
Victoria Falls to WindhoekDiamond Coast
Windhoek to Cape TownMasai Steppe
Nairobi to Iringa
Start: March 14, Nairobi, Kenya
Finish: March 25, Iringa, Tanzania
Price: €950 Distance: 1,012km
Riding Days: 9 days
Resting Days: 3 days
(difficulty)
(exotic factor)
(comfort)
If scenes of Wildebeest migration and big cat kills on the Discovery or National Geographic Channel are your favourite vision of Africa, then this is the section of the Tour d'Afrique for you. One day south of Nairobi, you will arrive at the border of Tanzania and immediately spot the unmistakable Mount Kilimanjaro and its smaller sibling, Mount Meru. From there, it’s a day’s pedal to the rapidly growing and vibrant city of Arusha. As the gateway to such famous attractions as Serengeti National Park, Ngorogoro Crater, and “Kili,” Arusha is East Africa’s safari capital. Here riders are given 3 days off, affording them the opportunities to experience wild Africa at its most spectacular, to shop in the local stores and markets, or simply to rest and replenish their energies.
Heading south from Arusha, the red-cloaked Masai tribesmen will be your constant companions as you spin along roads with relatively little traffic, keeping an eye out for zebra and giraffe. At Lake Manyara you trade the tarmac for several challenging days of ascents and descents – the Masai Steppe – on a rougher gravel road, that can be treacherous in places if the rainy season has arrived. However the friendliness of the villagers, the roadside banana stands, and the sheer beauty of this unique and verdant land ensures that come rain or shine, this stretch is one of the most memorable on Tour. After passing through Tanzania’s modern capital of Dodoma, you hit pavement again shortly before the pleasant town of Iringa, which is the gateway to nearby Ruaha National Park, and a regional center of the Ismaili Islamic sect.

PLACES TRAVELLED IN KENYA

MELTDOWN MADNESS

South of Addis Ababa, the terrain changes again to rolling countryside interspersed with alkaline lakes. After passing Mount Guraghe and Lake Abaya, riders will arrive in Arba Minch (Forty Springs), which is renowned for its beautiful views, Crocodile farm, and nearby Nechisar National Park. In Yabello, you can visit the wildlife sanctuary where you might catch a glimpse at some of Africa's rarest birds such as the Prince Ruspoli Turaco. Most of the riding for this stretch is on reasonably good pavement, with one exception - a tough off-road day between Kanso and Yabello through remote villages inhabited by the Borena people.
The crossing from Ethiopia into Kenya at Moyale marks the beginning of the “meltdown” portion of this section. It takes 6 riding days to cross the unpaved lava expanse of northern Kenya’s Dida Galgalu desert, which for long stretches redefines the words bumpy and corrugated. At the midway point the market town of Marsabit, set on the slopes of an ancient volcano, offers a welcome respite before the “road” descends again into the arid lands that are home to the Samburu people and their herds of camels and cattle. Approaching Isiolo, riders rejoice at the sight of pavement, and the opportunity to have a well deserved beer or ice cream bar. From there, the route ascends and then descends the western slopes of majestic Mount Kenya, before crossing the equator in Nanyuki, which is a short day’s ride from Nairobi, East Africa’s largest city.
The “Meltdown” features some of the most diverse changes in scenery and riding conditions, from plateau to desert to savannah. Cycling the “Meltdown” in its entirety is an impressive accomplishment for any cyclist.

MAP OF ETHIOPIA

PLACES TREVELLED IN ETHIOPIA

THE GORGE

From Khartoum to the border of Ethiopia, the Tour passes through the “bread basket” of the Sudan. The countryside gradually changes as you cycle towards Ethiopia and witness the transformation from the Arabic Muslim world of northern Africa to the more tribal and traditional nature of the Horn of Africa.
Once in Ethiopia, the ride of your life begins. Ethiopia contains some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world as well as one of its most unique and ancient cultures. This section will challenge your body more than any other due to the high altitude riding, not least during the first two days in country when the Tour takes the rough but slowly improving road up onto the plateau from Metema to the Gondar road junction. The second of these days features the most climbing – some 2500 meters - of any day on tour.
The Ethiopian Highlands offer several fascinating stops including Gondar city with its 17th century castles, and Bahir Dar where you can visit ancient monasteries on islands in Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Falls. While some riders may hesitate to sample such wonders of Ethiopian cuisine as injera (flat bread), shuro wat (chick pea stew), and kitfo (steak tartare), no-one can resist the espresso and juice bars found in all the larger towns.
From a cycling standpoint, the highlight of this section will be the Blue Nile Gorge, a 1600-meter precipitous descent and ascent on a newly paved road that will test the mettle of cyclists of any caliber. Once you have conquered the Blue Nile Gorge, the beautiful terrain of the central Ethiopian plateau will whiz by as you spin towards the capital city of Addis Ababa. The descent from the eucalyptus forested hills that surround Addis into the downtown core is an experience you will not soon forget.

PHARAOH'S DELIGHT

The Tour d'Afrique starts at the legendary Pyramids of Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo. As one of the wonders of the world, the Pyramids are a perfect embarkation point for the intrepid journey ahead, and the Sphinx bows its head in respect as you cycle past and bid farewell to Africa’s largest city.
After riding to the Red Sea and down the coastal highway to Safaga, you climb inland and cross the rugged Eastern desert into Upper Egypt, joining the Nile River at Qena. In Luxor, the opportunity to explore the magnificent temple of Karnak and the Valleys of the Kings and Queens is one not to be missed. From there, the Route continues south along the banks of the mother Nile towards the Aswan Dam.
From Aswan you will travel overnight by boat down Lake Nasser and past the Abu Simbel monuments into Sudan, one of the world’s most remote and least visited countries. But as you will discover, the Sudanese are some of the world’s friendliest people. For many riders this is where the “real” Africa begins. With the Nile River as companion, you will spin past minarets and through palm grove villages that have hardly changed in hundreds of years. Change is however coming more rapidly now as the sandy tracks that the Tour used to traverse the Nubian desert on are replaced by smooth Chinese funded tarmac. This section ends with a convoy ride into the Sudanese capital city of Khartoum, which sits at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile rivers. After the heat and dust of the desert, Khartoum seems to be part oasis and part mirage, especially when one enters the air-conditioned ABSA shopping center, where milk shakes, gourmet coffees, a supermarket and even bowling can be found.
The "Pharaoh's Delight" is for those who want to feel the desert wind on their face and experience the romance of biking along one of the great rivers of the world through the lands of the Pharaohs, the Nubians and the Cush. At times you will feel like you are one of the first travelers to come upon these forgotten lands. And on a bicycle, that’s pretty much the truth.